1. Field of the Invention
An automatic toilet seat closing device comprising a timing mechanism and a spring mechanism, which will automatically lower a raised toilet seat or other lid or seat-like member from a generally vertical, open position to a horizontal, closed position.
2. Description of Related Art
Heretofore, a number of patents and publications have disclosed methods and apparatus for pivoting a first object, which is attached to a second object, the relevant portions of which may be briefly summarized as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 6,182,301 to Krueger et al, issued Feb. 6, 2001, discloses an apparatus and method for automatically pivoting a first member relative to a second member.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,995,120 to Tager, issued Feb. 26, 1991, discloses a toilet seat closing device utilizing an electric motor, a ratchet clutch, a spring, and a timer.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,281 to Wiklund et al, issued Feb. 14, 1995, discloses an automatic closure mechanism for a toilet seat comprising a toilet seat, a time-regulating dashpot, and springs.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,546,612 to Johnson issued Aug. 20, 1996, discloses an automatic toilet seat lowering apparatus including a lid, seat, springs, friction discs, and a clutch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,666 to Orii et al., issued Jan. 15, 1991 discloses a speed governor for a toilet seat lowering apparatus including a one-way clutch mechanism for providing braking force on the toilet seat during descent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,794,277 to Jones, issued Aug. 18, 1998, discloses an automatic toilet seat closing device including a plate member, a first hinge assembly, a first hinge member, a coupling mechanism, a gear, and a connection mechanism.
U.S. Pat. No. 905,996 to Davis, issued Dec. 8, 1908, discloses an automatic toilet seat raising apparatus including a pair of wound wire springs disposed on a hinge pin and engaged with the toilet seat so as to apply a raising force to the seat.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,570,478 to Armstrong, issued Nov. 5, 1996, discloses a toilet seat hinge assembly for automatically lowering a toilet seat including a spring resiliently biasing the hinge shaft to rotate from its up position to its down position, a flush detector for detecting when the toilet is flushed, a lock for locking the shaft against rotation, and a second spring to bias the toilet seat upwardly to slow the movement of the seat from the up position to the down position.
None of these prior art devices fully provides in a simple, low-cost apparatus, all of the functions and attributes that are desirable in a toilet seat closing apparatus, such functions and attributes being the ability to close a toilet seat without human intervention, within a predetermined amount of time, with the ability to adjust such amount of time, without significant audible noise, and with commencement of closing within a predetermined and adjustable amount of time after having been raised upright.
Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention are provided that meet at least one or more of the following objects of the present invention.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a device that will close a toilet seat cover without any human effort or contact.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a device that will close a toilet seat and a toilet seat cover within a predetermined and adjustable amount of time.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a toilet seat closing device, which can be retrofitted to any conventional toilet seat that is already installed and functional.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a toilet seat closing device, which can be incorporated into the original design and manufacture of the toilet seat or which may be retrofitted to an already installed toilet seat and lid.
It is a further object of this invention to provide the actions described noiselessly, or with a minimum of sound.
It is a further object of this invention to produce the actions described above within a limited time, after the seat (or cover) has been manually lifted to its upright position.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a toilet seat closing device which provides a descent resisting force that increases in a non-linear manner as the toilet seat descends to a lowered position.